We have all said something we didn’t mean to at some point of our lives and like choreographer Brenda O’brien said, teenagers  are more susceptible to harm someone else’s feelings with the help of technology, since the screen seems to give them some type of courage to say those hurtful words.

     Choreographer O’brien was recommended by activities director Kelly Snell to bring a new and different concept like a Black Box. A Black Box show is set in a more intimate and smaller performance since the audience gets to watch the dancers transmit their message (in this case the power of words) next to the dancers on the stage.

     February 12th and 13th Dance Company transmitted how the power of words can greatly impact who we direct them to in their Black Box performance called “More Than Words.” Preparing a Black Box is no easy task says O’brien, other than the amount of time they had to put the show together, “The idea that the performance is in the round so you have to keep switching where your front is and making sure that no matter where the audience is sitting that they’re getting a full performance.” even junior Jordan Himmelrich admits that most of the dances weren’t completely confident but that “in the end it looked really good.”

     What makes a Black Box show more special, is the ability to feel closer to the dancers not in a way that you are literally right in front of them, but in a way that you get to see the dancers facial expressions, which help to successfully transmit the audience the power of words. Also the fact that you can see the backstage and see what is going on completely changes the experience since you get a look to what is behind the show is more personal.

     It was also a unique experience not only for the audience but for the dancers as well. Himmelrick says that, “It was a really fun experience having another teacher come in and learning her style dance as opposed to all of ours, it was just really fun,” ‘

     At the end of the day despite the difficulties like timing, space, and preparation, it all, like Jordan said, turned out really good.